Internal-combustion engine



J 1954 c. c. TAINTER INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 51, 1953 Chauncey 6. TaIhter INVENTOR.

June 1, 1954 c. c. TAINTER INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 51, 1953 m rR m 8 0 n W W A .m w E QN a M, y b e 0 M QM M w C W C June 1, 1954 c. c. TAINTER INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 31, 195 3 Chauncey 6. Tm'hrer INVENTOR.

I IIIIIIII' I 8 m Bk C. C. TAINTER INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE June 1, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 31, 1955 IR. m1 mm. mm a v y e w w M June 1, 1954 c. c. TAINTER INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 31, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Chauncey C. fa/hrer INVENTOR.

WW Z2 Patented June I, 1954 UNITED STATES T OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to internal combustion engines and pertains more particularly to improvements in internal combustion engines for obtaining a more uniform flow of power from each of the individual cylinders and to gain a higher volumetric efficiency from the same.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved form of internal combustion engine whose valve arrangement in conjunction with the particular configuration of the intake manifold assures a maximum efiiciency in distributing fuel and air mixtures to the individual cylinders and permits an advantageous positioning of the engine spark plugs.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved form of internal combustion engine which incorporates a predetermined pattern of manifolding for obtaining a maximum of volumetric efiiciency from the engine.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved form of internal combustion engine in conformity with the foregoing objects in which the manifolding is arranged in a basic pattern of three, namely, a pair of equal length manifold conduits extending from a source of fuel-air mixture to the end cylinders and also a third manifold conduit extending from the source to the central cylinder, the central conduit being so configurated as to establish an effective length equal to the end conduits.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an internal combustion engine of improved form in conformity with the foregoing objects which incorporates a valve-in-head arrangement on its end cylinders and an F-head valve arrangement in its central cylinder.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a three cylinder inline engine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing details of internal construction of the engine;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken through the central cylinder, as indicated generally by the plane of section line 33 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is another transverse section through one of the end cylinders taken substantially along the plane of section line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section taken through a V-type engine constructed in accordance with this invention; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a six cylinder in-line engine constructed in accordance with this invention.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1-4, reference numeral [0 indicates generally the cylinder block of a three cylinder in line internal combustion engine which is provided at its lower end with the conventional oil pan I2 attached to the main casting comprising the cylinder block, and in the particular construction shown, the lower end of the block is provided with a pair of main bearing webs l4, which, in cooperation with the bearing caps I 6, rotatably journal the crankshaft H3. The crankshaft includes a flywheel flange 20 at one end and is provided at its other end with a gear 22 which meshes with the conventional timing gear (not shown) which, in turn, imparts the proper rotation to the cam shaft 24.

The cylinder block is further conventional inasmuch as it includes three in-line cylinder bores each of which reciprocably receives a piston 25 connected through a medium of conventional connecting rods 28 to corresponding crank throws: on the crankshaft. The usual water jacketing is, of course, provided in the cylinder block as well known. I

For the purpose of clarity, the two end cylinders are designated generally by the reference character 35 while the middle or central cylinder is indicated generally by the reference character 32.

A cylinder head indicated generally by the reference character 3 is secured by suitable fastening means to the cylinder block and the portions of the head over the end cylinders 35 are provided with more-or-less conventional combustion pockets or chambers within which the intake and exhaust valves 36 and 38 respectively are seated. Exhaust gases escape from the end cylinders through the legs 40 of the exhaust manifold 22, and the intake valves are connected to a source of fuel-air mixture through the intake conduits 44 and 46. These conduits are formed integrally with the cylinder head construction and are provided at a point midway between the end cylinder valves 36 with a vertically extending aperture 48 extending through the conventional mounting flange which is adapted to receive the usual carburetor, as is well known. Since the end cylinders are provided with in-line valves, and since the intake manifold legs 44 and 46 are required to be of equal length for proper fuel-air mixture distribution to these cylinders, the aperture or opening 48 is located midway between the end cylinders and over the center of the cylinder 32 so that the problem of distributing a proportionate volume of fuel-air mixture to this center cylinder from the single fuel-air mixture source aperture 48 is one which is well recognized in the art. That is, the center cylinder will have a tendency to rob the end cylinders.

To assure an even distribution of fuel to the center cylinder as compared with the fuel delivery to the end cylinders, a transverse opening 59 is provided in the intake manifold jacket below opening 48, and this opening communicates directly with an enlarged chamber 52 of heart-shaped configuration. A shroud 5 either separate or integral with the intake manifold is of U-shaped configuration and is disposed within chamber 52 with its bight portion 55 adjacent the opening 53 and with its legs 58 extending away from the opening. An intake valve Gil is shrouded by member 54 so that fuel-air mixture entering cylinder 32 must follow the path indicated by the arrows in Figure l. The efiect of the heat-shaped chamber and its shroud 54 results in a flow path equivalent to the flow path between the opening 43 and either of the end cylinders 39 through manifold passages 44 and 45.

The center cylinder exhaust valve 62 seats in the cylinder block so that the central cylinder has an F-head arrangement of valves. The stem of this valve projects vertically downwardly and engages against the lifter ta actuated directly from the cam shaft. The manner of operation of the valve in the end cylinders is by means of conventional lifters $5, push rods 65 and transversely extending offset rocker arm assemblies 88 allowing a compact and eificient operation of the valves.

Since the cylinder block and head overhang the cam shaft in the central cylinder area, as is designated by the reference character 10, the rocker arm assembly 12 operating the intake valve 68 in the central cylinder is disposed longitudinally of the engine.

With more particular reference to Figures 1 and 3, it will be noted that the spark plugs 13 in the end cylinders are disposed substantially equidistant between the intake and exhaust valves of these cylinders and are disposed vertically, whereas the plug 15 in the central cylinder is positioned at the crotch of the chamber 52 and extends angularly inwardly to a point within its associated combustion chamber substantially midway between the intake and exhaust valves thereof. By this positioning of the spark plugs in the various cylinders, pre-ignition is reduced to a minimum, assuring smooth operation of the engine even at relatively high compression ratios. Due to the equal volumes in the various chambers and conduits 44, 4E and 52, equal volumes of fuel-air mixture will be allowed to build up over the valve areas within all of the cylinders, thereby assuring equal distribution of fuel-air mixture to all cylinders and consequent even power impulses from such cylinders.

It will be evident that the particular configuration of the chamber 52 not only serves to equalize the flow path to the associated valves in accordance with the similar spacing of the end cylinders, but also acts to direct the incoming fuel-air mixture smoothly into the central cylinder by virtue of the crotch configuration of this chamber formed by the intersection of its two lobes; and also permits the expedient location of the spark plug 75 as above described.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 5, the principles as set forth in connection with Figures 1-4 are applied to a V-type engine, the same incorporating two banks of three cylinders each. The two banks of cylinders 12 and it are integrally formed and provided with a centrally disposed cam shaft 16 and the valve chamber between the two banks is closed by a suitable cover 78. Numeral indicates the exhaust valves in the central cylinders while numeral 22 indicates the intake valves thereof, the latter communicating through heart-shaped chambers 84 and 8'5 and associated shrouds 8'! with the flanged supply openings 88 and 98 which are interconnected by means of the intake crossover conduit 92 provided medially with a carburetor flange 94 receiving such mechanism. In this respect, each of the cylinder heads 98 and 98 is identical in construction and purpose to the previously described cylinder heads 34.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 6, a six cylinder in-line engine is shown comprising a cylinder block 560 provided with the cylinders of which the second and fifth are of F- head construction and which include the longitudinal rocker arm assemblies N32 for actuating the intake valves thereof, the exhaust valve assemblies being indicated generally by the r ference character Hi l. Cylinders three and four are provided with a Siamese exhaust passage communicating with the manifold I06 through the exhaust stack 108, the remainder of the cylinders being provided with individual exhaust stacks Hi). Cylinders one, three, four and six are of valve-in-head arrangement, the valves being operated through the medium of the transverse rocker arm assemblies H2.

The cylinder head is provided with a pair of independent intake passages H4 communicating with cylinders one and three and four and six, respectively, and the heart-shaped chambers H3 and 20 communicate therewith to supply fuelair charges to the cylinders two and five respectively. Each of the heart-shaped chambers is provided with a suitable shroud, as previously described. Each conduit portion is provided with a central aperture with which the branches I22 and I24 of the intake manifold communicate, this manifold being provided with a medially disposed mounting flange and aperture in register with the carburetor and air cleaner assembly I26. This particular construction illustrates a substantially tandem disposition of the assembly shown in Figure 1.

By arranging the valves and manifold in the manner above described, it will be clear that each individual cylinder of the engine can be supplied with its proportionate share of fuel-air mixture, resulting in a more even power supply from the engine. Not only will the power delivery characteristics of such an engine be more desirable, but also, it will be noted that the engine will be freer of vibration and the forces acting upon the crankshaft will be easily calculated and counterbalanced, resulting in increased engine life due to lessening of destructive out-of-balance forces which are inherent in engines utilizing conventional manifolding and valve arrangement.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising a block having at least three cylinders arranged in line, a cylinder head on said block, intake and exhaust valves in said cylinder head communicating with the combustion chambers of the outer cylinders, an intake valve in said head for the center cylinder, and an exhaust valve in said block for the center cylinder, an intake manifold secured to said head, said manifold having oppositely extending legs communicating with the intake valves in said end cylinders, and an intermediate passage comrnunicating with the intake valve of said center cylinder, said passage being in the form of an enlarged chamber extending laterally of said oppositely extending legs.

2. An internal combustion engine comprising a block having at least three cylinders arranged in line, a cylinder head on said block, intake and exhaust valves in said cylinder head communicating with the combustion chambers of the outer cylinders, an intake valve in said head for the center cylinder, and an exhaust valve in said block for the center cylinder, an intake manifold secured to said head, said manifold having oppositely extending legs communicating with the intake valves in said end cylinders, and an intermediate passage communicating with the intake valve of said center cylinder, said passage being in the form of an enlarged chamber extending laterally of said oppositely extending legs, said manifold having a, fuel-air inlet opening at the juncture of said chamber and said legs, means in said chamber directing the flow of fuel-air mixture therein in a path whose length is substantially the same as the length of one of said legs, said legs being of equal length.

3. An internal combustion engine comprising a block provided with three cylinders in line and a cylinder head, the end cylinders having overhead intake and exhaust valves and the center cylinder having an overhead intake valve, disposed laterally of the intake valves of the end cylinders, and a side exhaust valve, a manifold passage extending between the intake valves in said end cylinders, said passage having an intake opening midway between its ends for connection to a source of fuel-air mixture, a chamber communicating between said manifold passage and the intake valve of said center cylinders, said chamber being heart-shaped in cross-section with its portion of least cross-sectional area communicating with the said manifold passage, the volume of each leg of the manifold passage from said intake opening to the intake valve of one end cylinder and said chamber being equal.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein a shroud is provided in said chamber extending partially around the associated intake valve, whereby the flow path length between the intake opening of the manifold and each of the said intake valves is the same.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein the exhaust valve of said center cylinder is located laterally below the crotch of said chamber.

6. The combination of claim 3 wherein the exhaust valve of said center cylinder is located laterally below the crotch of said chamber.

7. The combination of claim 3 wherein said block is also provided with a second set of cylinders disposed in v-r elation to the first mentioned cylinders.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,150,264 Greer Aug. 17, 1915 1,260,895 Hall Mar. 26, 1918 1,722,404 Whatmough et a1. July 30, 1929 1,812,197 Bullington June 30, 1931 

